the child’s place in time - montessori-ami.org · 2019 ami/usa refresher course & workshops...

2019 AMI/USA Refresher Course & Workshops

The Child’s Place in TimeRefresher Course & Workshops

New Orleans, LouisianaFebruary 15-18, 2019


Thank you to our 2019 Sponsors!

BROCHURE COVER ARTWORK PROVIDED BY:

Metal Insect Design

SUPPORTERS

FRIENDS


The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was founded in 1929 by Dr. Maria Montessori to maintain the integrity of her life’s work and to ensure that it would be perpetuated after her death. www.montessori-ami.org SPONSORED BY

AMI/USA, the U.S. Primary Operational Affiliate, supports AMI objectives through their work in the United States and brings the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori to the education of children, to help them attain their full potential in society. www.amiusa.org

AMI/EAA, a member-run professional association of AMI elementary teachers and trainers, provides a supportive community for the exchange of ideas and promotes the principles of Montessori education. www.ami-eaa.org

IN COLLABORATION WITH

MAA supports the administration of Montessori schools by providing opportunities for renewal, networking, continuing education and the exchange of ideas and experiences. www.montessoriadmins.org

Table of Contents

05 | Schedule

06 | Keynote Address

07 | Assistants to Infancy

08 | Primary

09 | Elementary

10 | Adolescent

12 | Administrative

14 | Assistants

15 | Montessori for Everyone

17 | Friday Workshops

19 | Monday Workshops

22 | Closing

23 | Special Events

24 | Speaker Bios

28 | Registration Info

30 | Announcements

31 | Registration Form

33 | Appendix©Association Montessori International/USA 2018. All rights reserved. This brochure and any portion thereof may not be reproduced for any purpose whether private or public without the expressed written permission of the Association Montessori International of the United States, Inc.

Location:SHERATON NEW ORLEANS HOTEL

500 Canal StreetNew Orleans, LA 70130

For updates, visit:https://amiusa.org/2019-refresher-course/

https://amiusa.org/2019-refresher-course/


“Every action in our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.”

– Edwin Hubbel Chapin (1814-1880, American poet)

The above quote by Edwin Hubbel Chapin beautifully summarizes our intent in choosing the 2019 Refresher Course theme of “The Child’s Place in Time” as we not only want to capture the past but also remind ourselves of the lasting effects of what we do today on the future. We have as a part of our philosophical foundation a gratefulness for those who came before us; some of whose names we know and some of whose names are not familiar. We treasure those legacies and are consistent in our appreciation of those gifts. Our hope is that through this dedication to the past amongst colleagues focused on a like-minded mission, you will each come to celebrate your own contributions through whatever role or roles you play in the future of the children we serve.

Warm regards,Debby

Debby Riordan, Executive DirectorAMI/USA


ScheduleFriday February 159:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.Advocacy Training for Montessori Public Policy

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.Montessori Higher Education Exchange*

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.Diversity Forum

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.Opening Keynote

Saturday, February 167:00 - 8:00 a.m.Morning Yoga

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Adolescent Session and Breakouts*

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Lecture Sessions* (A to I, Primary, Elementary, Administrative, Assistants)

Break: 10:15 - 10:45 a.m. Lunch: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Break: 3:00 - 3:30 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Montessori for Everyone* NEW!

5:00 - 6:30 p.m.Open Meeting with the AMI/USA Board

6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Presentations on Montessori Adolescent Exemplary and/or Transformative Projects or Practices

8:30 - 10:30 p.m.Swing Dance Social

Sunday February 177:00 - 8:00 a.m.Morning Yoga

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Adolescent Session and Breakouts*

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Lecture Sessions* (A to I, Primary, Elementary, Administrative, Assistants) Break: 10:15 - 10:45 a.m. Lunch: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Break: 3:00 - 3:30 p.m.

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.Meet & Greet/Networking

6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Presentations on Montessori Adolescent Exemplary and/or Transformative Projects or Practices

Monday, February 188:00 - 11:00 a.m.Education for Liberation

8:00 - 11:00 a.m.Working with Families and Community

9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Educateurs sans Frontières

9:00 - 11:00 a.m.Parent Communications

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.Closing

*Attendance required to obtain certificate and/or CEUs - sign in as indicated on-site


Challenges and Opportunities: Why Poverty Matters and Why Schools Can Matter More

Dr. Tammy Pawloski

Life with limited resources can negatively impact achievement and life success, but the good news is that schools and teachers can matter more! The latest research from neuroscience provides direction for intentional school and teacher moves that can dramatically and positively shift the trajectory for all students. Learn how to reframe the challenges faced by teachers in high-poverty schools as opportunities for revealing the often-hidden potential of every learner every day.

Keynote Address


Assistants to Infancy

Sharlyn Smith

At the Assistants to Infancy level of work, we support the very beginning of life and have great influence upon the developing personality. Our influence is indirect, but impacts the foundation of the personality. In order to support the best possible developmental outcome, we must have a fundamental understanding of the value of ‘work’; one of the human tendencies, both in the life of the child as well as in our own lives.

Work is one of the characteristics of humanness; this is seen as a need for purposeful activity within every human personality. This begins at birth and when the baby/toddler/young child is allowed to participate in life from the beginning of life there is a stronger construction of the personality.

The work of the child is naturally spiritual; relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul. There is nothing more spiritual than the creation of a new personality and this is the work of the child from birth to six. We’ll spend time over the two days of the workshop looking at the preparation of both the tangible (materials, space and the harmony between these elements) and intangible (human attitude and psychological/socio-emotional responsiveness) environments, looking at the support we offer for the child’s spiritual work; the positive adaptation to their place in time.

The Child’s Place in Time: Adaptation and the Spiritual Value of Work


Ginni Sackett

“Unperverted by Prejudice and Undistorted by Fear”The Universal Child’s Sensorial Journey to Cultural Human

Contemplating the Montessori Teacher’s Great Work, Maria Montessori wrote this:

Not in the service of any political or social creed should the teacher work, but in the service of the complete human being, able to exercise in freedom a self-disciplined will and judgment, unperverted by prejudice and undistorted by fear.

—To Educate the Human Potential

This mandate to serve the complete human being is Maria Montessori’s universal call, relevant for teachers in all times and cultures. Similarly, Maria Montessori’s description of that complete human being we serve, defines qualities which are the potential, we might even say the right, of every child as she adapts to any particular time and culture. Those of us who serve in the

Casa dei Bambini, engage within a profound developmental moment on this journey of adaptation, supporting the universal child as she completes the first stage of becoming a cultural human.

Of all the areas available to us, the Sensorial area is most directly and intentionally designed to serve this universal child. Here we isolate those sensorial perceptions which unite all humans, offering the child a vital progression of activity from concrete experience to reliable abstraction. Through this guided progression, the child can begin to construct the self-disciplined will and critical judgment which Montessori frequently identified as so urgently needed in society.

With this as our context, during the 2019 Primary Refresher we will delve deeply into the simple technology and complex activities of our Sensorial Area. We will explore: the minimalist, precise design which makes this the perfect technology for the universal child; the essential principles that inspire those dynamic, open-ended activities; and proven techniques for every teacher to connect each child’s potential with this area’s individual and social benefits.

Most importantly, we will explore how the First Plane child’s work in the Sensorial Area provides an ideal framework for the self-development of resilient cultural humans – enlightened, intelligent, and confident global citizens, adapting and acting with compassion and integrity, without prejudice or fear, in a future we cannot predict but in which the highest of human potentials will be more important than ever for our species and our planet.

Primary


Carla Foster

A Deep Dive into Deep Time: The Goldmine of Story in the Timeline of Life and the Timelines of Humans

The theme of the first day will be “The Secret to my Success: stories of adaptation” in the Timeline of Life. We will look at stories for lower elementary students, which will help them with “evolutionary readiness” and basic understanding about habitat and adaptation, and stories for upper elementary students that link the timeline of life with what is now known about the Pre-Cambrian time and the Tree of Life. We will explore the specific adaptation that are necessary for life in the sea, life on land, and life for animals leaving a terrestrial for an aquatic lifestyle. We will also look closely at the timeline of plants. We will share songs, stories, poetry and simple writing exercises to help you be able to use the Timeline of Life in different ways at every stage on the child’s journey in the elementary. On the second day we will look through the lens of the human tendencies and characteristics at the two timelines of humans. We will set out what is now known about the various human species that lived during the time of the first timeline and the origins of homo sapiens, focusing on some of the things that make us uniquely human: the origin of language, creativity, gregariousness and spirituality. We will look at the second timeline somewhat differently, looking at what might be alternative stories to be told about simultaneous human activity in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Elementary


AdolescentOffering a Wider Environment:

Experiencing Culture and History through Work of the Hands

SATURDAY MORNINGWork of the Hands: Building Supranature

“Through movement we come into more intimate communication with and more intelligently connected to the environment. We acquire consciousness….The hands help the development of consciousness through experience in the environment.” Maria Montessori, “Lecture 23: Hands,” The 1946 London Lectures.

The developmental task of adolescents is to discover the role which they will play in society and take on the purposeful work of adults—the creation of supranature: adapting to and modifying the natural environment. We work the soil, grow food, build structures, manage resources, produce items for sale and exchange. We care for ourselves and others. The human endeavor requires work of the hands to understand how the universe works, how human beings work, and how to participate in the interdependence of all things on the planet. Engagement in the work of the hands elicits motivation in adolescents for expertise and the need to acquire skills both practical and academic. The hands are the “tool of the intellect,” says Montessori, and the avenue of meaningful relationship with the environment we learn from and depend on. The task of the third plane educator is to set up an environment that calls adolescents to the purposeful work of humans in a way that is compelling and also effectively develops independence and competence.

Laurie Ewert-Krocker

Jenny Höglund

SATURDAY AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS (SEE APPENDIX FOR DETAILS)

A. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Montessori Adolescent Classroom • Rae Jones and Erica Pernell •B. Construct (Do-able, Meaningful Microeconomy Projects) • Eldon Kohler •C. Experience Culture (By Doing, Creating, Producing Throughout Our Humanities Projects) • Susan Holmes-Glazier •D. Integrating the Work of the Older Adolescent (High School Roundtable) • Carrie Talcott •

Rae Jones Erica Pernell Eldon Kohler Susan Holmes-Glazier Carrie Talcott


SUNDAY MORNINGWork of Many Hands: Building Diverse and Collaborative

Social Organizations

A moment of discovery and consciousness that arises from the work of the hands with a shovel, a hammer, a sculpting tool, a cooking pot, or concrete materials for an algebraic equation may stand as evidence for work of the hand for an individual, but the work of many hands together to create a genuine “school of experience in the elements of social life,” leads us to consider how collaborative social organization works in an adolescent community. Montessori’s plan for adolescence, a “plan of study and work,” is meant to immerse adolescents in a first-hand experience of humans working together as a collective, interdependent organism. How do we design and prepare our educational environments to ensure that genuine social organization is what they experience? What is the role of the adults in this web of interdependence? And what role does the cultural background of individuals play?

Laurie Ewert-Krocker

Jenny HöglundSUNDAY AFTERNOON BREAKOUTS

(SEE APPENDIX FOR DETAILS)

A. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Montessori Adolescent Classroom • Rae Jones and Erica Pernell •B. Connecting to the Greater Community: Production and Exchange (Creating Meaningful, Marketable Items and Markets for Production and Exchange) • Eldon Kohler •C. Role of the Adult: Contributor to the Microcosm and Side-by-Side Guide (Pitfalls and Tips for Success) • Susan Holmes-Glazier •D. Interdependencies of Communities Made Transparent (How Does Social Organization Work?) • Emily Dowell •

Rae Jones Erica Pernell Eldon Kohler Susan Holmes-Glazier Emily Dowell

AdolescentOffering a Wider Environment:

Experiencing Culture and History through Work of the Hands


Administrative

Don’t just Survive as a Montessori Administrator, Thrive, with the Coach-Approach to Leadership

MORNING

Educators have a tendency to give so much to their work that they also feel like they are giving themselves away – especially when the demands of leadership add additional duties without any extra time. You know you should take care of yourself – that it’s not good for you to be stretched too thin. And of course, when you’re stressed it has an impact on our families, team members, and students. too. When we take care of ourselves, we model self-care for the entire community. As a Head of School or an administrator in a Montessori environment, you want to feel confident and effective in your leadership role -- and have a personal life, too. You want:

• more to life than meetings and conferences• to manage the expectations of parents and school leadership• to avoid burnout (for yourself as well as your staff)• and enjoy your life (in and out of work)!

In this interactive workshop you will learn keys to strong leadership without the high cost of sacrificing your personal life. Some of the topics we will cover:

• The Myth of Life-Work Balance• Overcoming Amygdala Hijack! • Managing Perfectionism• Techniques to shift from Stress to Success• Putting your Oxygen Mask on First

AFTERNOON

Montessori adminstrators provide leadership that impacts teachers, students, and their parents. But when students arrive in the classroom with challenges of executive function, a new tool box is required for assisting teachers to foster independence within the context of a student’s needs and abilities and manage the nuance of effective communication with students and parents. This interactive workshop will address the basics of Executive Function as manifest in the classroom, and essential principles from the world of coaching. Administrators will leave with fundamental skills for taking a coach-approach to communication, empowering them to facilitate conversations between teachers and parents and navigate the challenges of managing children with complex challenges in keeping with the Montessori mission.

SATURDAY

Elaine Taylor-Klaus & Diane Dempster


SUNDAY P.M.

Tim Nee

Public and Private Montessori: Friends not Foes

This presentation and interactive workshop will explore the relationship of private and public Montessori schools in our country.

A brief history of public Montessori schools and review of the various types of public schools will be presented. Participants will identify the “Essential Elements” of quality Montessori programs in the public sector and determine if these same elements apply to private Montessori schools as well. Finally, the group will identify ways that private and public schools can support one another.

Matt Hillis

Prepared: The Modern Montessori Admissions Office

SUNDAY A.M.

Here is the bleak truth: we all struggle to keep up – especially those of us who work in a Montessori admissions office. Your marketing messages go unnoticed in a sea of advertisements. Millennial parents expect you to communicate on new platforms. You have more things to do with less time to do them.

Whether your school has 50 children or 500 children, your marketing and admissions efforts will be more efficient by leveraging technology, automated processes and the best practices of online marketing. You will leave this practical presentation knowing the tools to turbo charge your admissions office, increase the yield of applications and help your school shine online.

Administrative


Assistants

Michel Capobianco

Adaptation: The Work of the Child and the Support of the Assistant

“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.” (Maria Montessori, Education and Peace)

The classroom assistant plays an indispensable role in serving the child in his task of adaptation to his environment. In this workshop we will overview the Four Planes of Development and investigate the child’s adaptation socially and culturally. We will investigate how the classroom assistant actively supports the child within the context of the Prepared Environment. Together, we will concentrate on grace and courtesy lessons, redirection techniques, transition activities, and language enrichment as an aid to the development of the child. This workshop is a means to strengthen the assistant’s understanding of the first and second plane child, and will offer practical ideas to employ in the classroom setting.

Megan Trezise


Tammy Pawloski, Ph.D.

Morning Session: Strategies that Matter Most: Using the Science of Learning to Change the Trajectory for Every Learner

Montessori for Everyone

~Saturday only~

Life with limited resources can negatively impact achievement and life success, but the good news is that schools and teachers can matter more! The latest research from neuroscience provides direction for intentional school and teacher moves that can dramatically and positively shift the trajectory for all students. Learn how to reframe challenges as opportunities for uncovering often-hidden potential. Take away strategies that engage the brain, empower the learner, and change the outcomes for under-resourced (and ALL!) students.


Montessori for Everyone

~Saturday only~

Jesse McCarthy

Afternoon Session: Is Montessori Worth the

Money?Montessori schools have been around for over 100 years, and they’re once again picking up in popularity. But many parents still don’t know what Montessori is, or if it’s worth the price of admission.

For anyone who has experienced (authentic) Montessori — whether as a parent, a teacher, an administrator, etc. — you know its value. But for those new to Montessori, it’s not so clear.

The reality is, understanding Montessori can be tricky, especially given the conflicting information out there. For instance, one mom might say, “Montessori is super strict,” while a father contradicts that with, “I visited a Montessori classroom once, and it was loosey-goosey.” Well, which one is it: Too strict or too soft?

Such confusion is not helped by the fact that Montessori was never trademarked, with the result of countless copycat “Montessori” schools on streets across America.

This workshop is intended to help parents sort through all the information (and mis-information) out there, to get at the truth. We will focus on offering clear, engaging answers to understandable questions on parents’ minds. For instance,

- In Montessori, do children just play all day?- I’ve heard that Montessori doesn’t have teachers, is that true?- If children are “free” to do what they want, how will they ever learn to be disciplined and do hard work?- With different ages all in one classroom, won’t the bigger kids bully the little ones?- What’s the difference between Montessori and traditional schooling?- Is Montessori really worth the money?

These questions and many others, including those raised by attendees, will be answered in the workshop. The afternoon has been especially prepared for those new to Montessori, but all are welcome regardless of experience — whether you’re a parent just now hearing about Montessori or you’re a veteran teacher in the classroom, feel free to attend!


Friday Workshops

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.ADVOCACY TRAINING FOR MONTESSORI PUBLIC POLICY

MPPI Staff will present the most up to date tools we have developed to support advocacy work in the Montessori community, including environmental assessment crosswalks and our teacher credential recognition toolkit, and lead participants through hands on experiences with them. We will provide new advocacy resources to participants and highlight relationships with other organizations and plans for development of research supporting advocacy.

Workshop participants will come away with a clear picture of MPPI’s policy and advocacy supports available to advocates, and the state of the current policy landscape as it has evolved over the last year. Everyone, new to advocacy or experienced, will have deepened their understanding of and competency in the advocacy process. Attendees will gain practical knowledge on the use of MPPI’s new advocacy supporting tools, including classroom assessment tool crosswalks and the teacher credential recognition toolkit, and information through meaningful group activities.

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.MONTESSORI HIGHER EDUCATION EXCHANGE

Educators from AMI and AMS higher education teacher education programs gathered at the Center for Montessori Studies at the University of Hartford to establish a network of information exchange and reciprocal collaboration. The Montessori Higher Education Exchange is an initiative to connect Montessori program leaders to identify and pursue opportunities specific to Montessori education programs located in institutions of higher education and establish a nimble, responsive network among the emerging influences on education, specifically the US public school landscape occurring in Montessori and non-Montessori. Please join us for an informal exchange of ongoing ideas and sharing of practices as well as opportunities for continued peer support as we refine and develop our collective work.


2:00 - 5:00 p.m.DIVERSITY FORUM

2:00 pm - Pointe Auchien Tribe• Currently fighting for federal recognition • Welcome people and share a bit about the local tribes — welcoming

ceremony • Centering POC — grounding activity in the space

2:30 pm - Community Building activity — Meeting one another

3:00 pm - Establishing Group Norms and Community Agreements

3:30 pm - What is normalized? • What is normalized? What is the water?• Developing foundational knowledge and shared vocabulary • What is a way that Montessori education allows people of color to flourish?

Or not? • What can AMI do to support students and teachers of color? • What does it mean to normalize the prepared environment with inclusion in

mind?

4:30 - 5:00 pm - Closing

Friday Workshops

Daisy Han

Trisha Moquino


8:00 - 11:00 a.m.EDUCATION FOR LIBERATION

We operate under the premise that we live in a racist society, and that teachers can and should be powerful levers to dismantling racism and socioeconomic inequity. No matter how well-intentioned or how well educated most Montessori educators are, dismantling racism is not something educators inherently know how to do or feel confident addressing. Embracing Equity is the first of its kind in Montessori education to explicitly address equity across schools and geographic boundaries. We believe that coming together as a Montessori community to engage deeply with this work is critical to the work of embracing equity and is the core of Montessori education.

Participants who join us for this 3-hour workshop will: • Be able to begin to identify and disrupt white supremacy culture • Better understand their own racial and ethnic identity • Apply critical consciousness to Montessori pedagogy• Commit to an ongoing preparation of self as an anti-racist educator

Monday Workshops

Daisy Han Faybra Hemphill Trisha Moquino Rebecca Santander


8:00 - 11:00 a.m.WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY

In our Montessori environments the focus is on the child. How do we prepare guides to engage with families and in the communities where they live? In order to serve the child, an intentional understanding of the system or context in which she lives is essential. At the University of Hartford we are preparing future guides to be ready to work not only with the children in their classrooms but also directly with their families, including their geographic and cultural communities. Students in the Montessori Studies program, at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, explore current research, critically examine best practices and secure aligned resources specific to working with families and communities. This session includes an opportunity to see with a critical eye the social inequities through the use of public, civic data. Use of these data challenge us all to examine the impact of our own cultural competency and commit to disrupting and/or sustaining a community’s ecological systems. We will address discerning a personal commitment to daily interactions with families, through professional socialization and transformation of the adult perspective.

Paige Bray

9:00 - 11:00 a.m.EDUCATEURS SANS FRONTIÈRES

The reach of AMI’s Educateurs sans Frontières continues to expand. Join us for an inspiring journey of EsF initiatives from all parts of the globe - from education for nomadic populations in Kenya, a homeless shelter in the United States, indigenous communities in Australia to support for government early childhood workers in India. Find out more about the mission and background of EsF as well as the next steps to reach more children. The reflections on the 2018 Assembly in South Africa will highlight the depth and impact of an EsF assembly. Join us to find out more about the next Assemblies in Tepóztlan, Mexico, 2019 and Juneau, Alaska in 2020.

Monday Workshops


9:00 - 11:00 a.m.PARENT COMMUNICATIONS

It’s no secret among teachers and administrators that communicating with parents can be challenging, and at times frustrating, and occasionally downright maddening. Add to this that we’re in Montessori education — a pedagogy that’s notoriously difficult to explain to the uninitiated — and there can be real trouble.

For example: What to do when an upset parent asks: “Why is my son washing tables all day?”; or a demanding father wants assurance that his child will be “pushed in math”; or a mom is yelling across the playground for three-year-old Emma to “Get over here now!”

Clearly, we have a lot of work to do as parent educators.

Jesse McCarthy

And how about the times when we actually have a gracious audience yet we still find it difficult to communicate effectively. For instance, has a parent ever excitedly asked you about a material and you struggle to explain it clearly? Or maybe you’ve felt dejected as you try, unsuccessfully, to convince a great family to stay for the “Kindergarten” year?

I definitely had such experiences, both as a teacher and as a head of school. I’ve been frustrated, confused, overwhelmed, and all sorts of other negative adjectives. But through the years — through a lot of trial and error — I’ve come to excel at communicating with parents, to the point where it feels almost effortless.

But just like our meaningful work with children, effective parent communication is anything but effortless. It requires knowledge and practice, and a lot of patience.

This workshop is for those who want to improve their interactions with parents, regardless of your comfort or skill level. We will go over time-tested principles & practices and role-play challenging scenarios to put you on the road to mastering parent communication.

Monday Workshops


Closing (Monday)

11:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.MONTESSORI ADOLESCENT INNOVATION ENRICHES ALL MONTESSORI EDUCATION

Historically Montessori’s vision of growth and development is expanding, in part, because of the enthusiastic growth of the adolescent level worldwide. This diverse international growth has had a profound effect on Montessori Middle, Elementary and even Children’s Houses, and Infant Communities. The leadership from within the Erdkinder communities’ zeal to improve the environment and contribute to our planetary home provide a natural progression whereby adulthood and society become visible to the active adolescent and schools.

The completion of the four planes from birth to adulthood reveals a more tangible reality through a developmental looking glass. Montessori education is not just a static methodology and theory of knowledge but a positive journey extending to the threshold of the adult world and the future of the human species.

David Kahn

Please join us for our Refresher Course closing which will begin with a presentation from David Kahn on a synthesis of our work and end with final announcements, comments and a celebration of our time together.


MORNING YOGASaturday & Sunday7:00 - 8:00 a.m.

Primary teacher and certified Yoga instructor Sarah Dosmann will be leading early morning Yoga sessions in the hotel to help fellow participants become focused and centered in anticipation of the busy day ahead.

Special Events

SWING DANCE SOCIALSaturday 8:30 - 10:30 p.m.

What better place to have a party than New Orleans!

Instead of a Friday night reception, AMI/USA, in partnership with Transparent Classroom, is throwing a party on Saturday night. “Shake ‘Em Up,” an all women jazz band, will be playing for us and Andrew Smith, a swing dance teacher, will be on-site to help you get movin’ New Orleans style! Not into dancing… no problem and no pressure… join us and enjoy conversation with fellow Montessorians in an energizing atmosphere.

Dessert will be provided and beverages will be available for purchase.


Speaker BiosPaige BrayPaige M. Bray, USA, is Director of Montessori Studies, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education and directs the Institute for Translational Research at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Her teaching expertise focuses on the personal “reflexes” and professional identity transitions fostered through dynamic inquiry and the use of meta-cognitive tools and includes undergraduate and graduate level teaching, specifically the transitions occurring in the first semester and during the final semesters of clinical experience. An advocate for children and families, Dr. Bray’s research is grounded by a community context and consistently emphasizes human capacity as knowledge producers as well as knowledge consumers. She earned her B.A. and M.Ed. from Sarah Lawrence College and her Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Bray integrates her research, theory, and practice as co-founder of The Center for Montessori Studies.

Michel CapobiancoMichel Capobianco is in her fourth year as the Head of School of Oak Knoll Montessori School in Pasadena, California. She holds AMI Diplomas for the Elementary, Primary, and Assistance to Infancy programs. Michel completed her Elementary training at Centro Internationale Studi Montessori in Bergamo, Italy, her Primary training at the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota, and her Assistance to Infancy training at The Montessori Institute in Denver, Colorado. With over thirteen years of classroom experience, Michel worked as a Primary Assistant, Primary Guide, and Elementary Guide, and she is currently enrolled in the AMI Training of Trainers Program to become a Montessori trainer at the elementary level.

Diane DempsterDiane Dempster, MHSA, CPC, PCC is a certified professional coach, speaker, and educator with over 20 years of corporate leadership experience. The co-Founder of ImpactADHD.com®, co-creator of Sanity School®, and co-author of “Parenting ADHD Now!” she provides training, coaching and support – online and on the phone -- for parents and educators. Diane helps adults gain new skills, increase confidence, and bring a “coach approach” to conscious management of their life and work. Diane received a Masters from the University of Michigan and coaching certification from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). Committed to living a balanced and joy-filled life, she lives in Atlanta with her two young adult children.

Emily Dowell Emily Dowell has worked in adolescent programs in Canada and the United States including Hershey Montessori and was a founding co-director of Strata Montessori Adolescent School. Emily graduated Summa Cum Laude from McMaster University with a BScN and worked as a nurse before entering Montessori. She attended the NAMTA/AMI Orientation to Adolescent Studies (2011), holds an AMI Primary Certificate from the Foundation for Montessori Education (2015) and has served as Course Assistant, Lecturer, and Intern Advisor at the Orientation.

Laurie Ewert-KrockerLaurie Ewert-Krocker is Pedagogical Advisor at Hershey Montessori School in Huntsburg, Ohio and a Course Director for the AMI-NAMTA Orientation to Adolescent Studies. She holds AMI diplomas at the primary and elementary levels, a BA in English from John Carroll University (OH), and an MA in English from the University of Washington. Ms. Ewert-Krocker was the founding head teacher of Hershey Montessori School’s Adolescent Community, a Montessori farm school model, and she works as a consultant to Montessori adolescent programs around the world.

Carla FosterCarla Foster is one of the current AMI Directors of ElementaryTraining at Montessori Training Center Northeast (MTCNE), USA and the Montessori Institute of Prague. She also works permanently at the University College of Vestfold in Norway. Carla holds bachelors and masters degrees in Social Anthropology, Old Icelandic Literature and Norwegian Literature from UC Berkeley. She has AMI 3-6 and 6-12 diplomas respectively from the Maria Montessori Training Organisation, in London, and the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, USA. She has worked with children at the levels 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12 in both private and public Montessori schools. She has lived and taught in Norway since 1995, and has been an elementary trainer since 2011. She enjoys speaking about all subject areas in Cosmic Education, and has given a number of workshops on storytelling, drama, music, geometry and the transitioning child from Primary to Elementary. She was a keynote speaker at the 2017 AMI International Congress.

Daisy HanGrowing up the child of immigrants in low income and underrepresented communities, Daisy has experienced the harmful effects of segregation and ignorance firsthand; she has also experienced the power of education in nurturing resistance and dismantling systems of oppression. With over 10 years of experience teaching in the classroom and serving as a socio-emotional learning (SEL) facilitator,


Daisy deeply believes in the power of uniting people from diverse backgrounds and providing experiential opportunities for meaningful community building. Daisy is a partner at The Wildflower Foundation, a co-founder and Director of Curriculum at DEEP (Disruptive Equity Education Project), and is a founding board member of Montessori for Social Justice. She holds Montessori certifications in lower and upper elementary and secondary I and secondary II education. Daisy teaches a yearlong course on “Leading for Equity” at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and partners with school leaders in dismantling systemic racism and creating equitable opportunities for all students. Currently, Daisy is actively partnering with Montessori teacher education centers on deeply engaging on the “preparation of self” in their own racial and ethnic identity and building critical consciousness for anti-racist teaching for liberation.

Faybra HemphillFaybra Hemphill serves as Director of Racial Equity, Curriculum & Training at City Garden Montessori School in St. Louis, MO. She is a founding board member of Montessori for Social Justice, and serves as the MSJ representative of The Montessori Leaders Collaborative, convened by the Trust for Learning. She holds an AMS Early Childhood Credential, M.Ed. in Elementary Education, and a Bachelor’s degree is in African-American studies. She currently specializes in school-wide professional development,” next practices” and growing capacity for the development of anti-bias, anti-racist Montessori school models and training structures for emerging and experienced Montessorians.

Jenny HöglundJenny Hoglund is an AMI Elementary (6-12) Trainer. She holds AMI Primary (3-6) and Elementary diplomas. Jenny co-founded the Montessoriskolan Lara for livet in Sweden in 1995 and has taught elementary and adolescent students for over twenty-three years, as well as serving as head of school since 2006. She has also lectured at the Bergamo Centre in Italy since 2006.

Matt HillisMatt Hillis is the Executive Director of the Bergamo Montessori School, an AMI school in Sacramento, California. His job role focuses on organizational development, training, marketing and strategic growth. Since assuming the position in 2004, the enrollment of the school has grown 200% to nearly 500 students. Matt developed and manages MariaMontessori.com, one of the highest trafficked Montessori information sites in the world. He is co-founder of Nido Marketing, a digital marketing agency that helps Montessori schools grow with online marketing, strategy and deployment. Matt is the current Vice Chair of the Montessori Administrators Association. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of California at Davis as well as a Primary Montessori diploma.

Susans Holmes-Glazier Susan Holmes-Glazier became a Montessori adolescent guide in 2003. She taught at Hershey Montessori School (OH), was the Director of Mountain Laurel Montessori’s Jr. High (VA), and was the founding guide in the adolescent program at The Children’s House (MI). A Montessori child from age 2-12, Susan holds an AMI Elementary diploma, a B.S. and M.S. in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan and the University of Vermont, and an M.Ed in Montessori Education from Loyola University (MD). Susan attended the inaugural NAMTA/AMI Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies in 2003 and has served on the Orientation faculty as an Advisor, Lecturer, and Project Design Coach.

Rae JonesRae Jones is dedicated to social justice and sustainability. Rae holds a certificate from the AMI (spell out) Orientation to Adolescent Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Justice Studies from Tufts University. She has extensive Montessori experience, beginning with her own Montessori education from first through eighth grade. Rae has been an assistant in Upper Elementary classrooms and has worked as an adolescent guide for five years at Nature’s Way Montessori in Knoxville, TN and currently at Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School in Denver, CO. Her teaching incorporates her experience as a long-term activist working towards racial justice and equity in it’s many forms. In Knoxville, TN, Rae led educational trainings on Race and Privilege for the local Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) chapter. Rae is passionate about empowering young people to be the amazing and unique individuals they are in the world.

David KahnDavid Kahn has served as a director for various non-profit Montessori management organizations over the last 40 years. He has 17 years of Montessori teaching experience, 12 of them as teaching principal at Ruffing Montessori School (Cleveland Heights, OH). Mr. Kahn was founding director of the Hershey Montessori School’s Adolescent Community in Huntsburg, OH, an internationally acclaimed Montessori farm school model for adolescent education. He also serves as founding director emeritus of Montessori High School at University Circle (Cleveland, OH), which has quickly emerged as another program exemplar. David developed the summer training institute, The AMI Montessori Orientation to Adolescent Studies, to guide and develop teachers who work with students ages 12-18. An outgrowth of that program, David is internationally recognized as a consultant to schools that are beginning Montessori farm schools or high schools. Mr. Kahn holds a BA in fine arts and classics from the University of Notre Dame (IN) as well as the AMI Montessori elementary diploma from Bergamo, Italy. He has utilized his film and writing skills to create the largest global Montessori media organization that documents Montessori innovation and implementation in both the public and private sectors through video and publications. He has created three major museum exhibits that have accented the social and ecological directions of the Montessori movement.

Eldon Kohler Eldon Kohler brings a multi-faceted background to his role at Hershey Montessori School’s Adolescent Program where he not only works


as the woodshop manager but also heads up the micro economy production and sales events. Raised on a farm in Washington, Eldon turned his interest in horticulture and machinery into a wholesale tree nursery and landscaping firm. He specialized in Japanese bonsai trees as well as Asian landscape design and construction for 12 years and later became involved in humanitarian work in Israel for several years. Upon returning to the States, Eldon worked in CAD design doing a range of work from heavy equipment prototypes to architectural and structural designs. These days he studies both ancient and modern silver/goldsmith techniques and sells his work locally. He also enjoys teaching silversmithing at Hershey and other local jewelry galleries. Eldon enjoys cooking ethnic foods for his family, researching self-sustainability and woodworking. His wife Venus is an Elementary guide at Hershey’s Concord campus and his two sons and a daughter also attend there.

Jesse McCarthyJesse McCarthy has worked in education for 15 years, as an elementary & junior-high school teacher, as a Head of School for infants to 8th graders, and as an executive helping to lead a group of over a dozen Montessori schools. He holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and an AMI Primary diploma from the Montessori Institute of San Diego (MISD). Jesse now heads Montessori Education (montessorieducation.com), an organization dedicated to helping parents and teachers raise independent, flourishing children — while enjoying themselves in the process.

Trisha MoquinoFrom the Pueblo villages of Cochiti, Ohkay Owhingeh, and Santo Domingo, in New Mexico. Trisha Moquino did her schooling in her villages’ local public schools, earned her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Stanford University, her Master’s degree in Bilingual Education from the University of New Mexico, and completed her Montessori Elementary I certification at the Montessori Education Center of the Rockies and her Primary training with United Montessori Association. Her master’s thesis laid out the vision for what would eventually become the Keres Children’s Learning Center (KCLC).

Moquino has taught in public, private, and BIA schools. As a public school teacher in 2006, Moquino realized she was perpetuating an educational system that didn’t work for many Indigenous children, that she wouldn’t put her own daughters in her classroom, and that she wanted a different education for her own and other Pueblo children. Moquino envisioned an education that would support Keres language and cultural learning as well as academic development. With those goals in mind and her background in bilingual and Montessori education, she co-founded KCLC, which opened in 2012 as a Keres-immersion early childhood classroom using Montessori pedagogy. It has since expanded to include a Montessori dual-language Elementary classroom.

As of late, Moquino is a founding board member of Montessori for Social Justice. Moquino along with her KCLC colleagues and Montessori Partners will launch the Indigenous Montessori Institute in September, 2018.

Tim NeeTim Nee is the Managing Director of the Montessori Training Center Northeast (MTCNE). Tim has an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University of PA and did both his graduate degrees in Curriculum, Supervision and Administration from Emory University. He was the former Assistant Executive Director of Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) and the former principal of the highly successful CREC Montessori Magnet School in Hartford, CT. During his tenure, the school was twice selected by Magnet Schools of America (MSA) as a “School of Excellence” and named the recipient of the MSA Eugene M. Uram Award as the most outstanding Public Montessori Magnet School in the United States. He provides a variety of national consulting services through MTCNE. Tim teaches graduate courses in early childhood education as an adjunct professor as well as being a founding faculty member at the Center for Montessori Studies at the University of Hartford.

Tammy Pawloski, Ph.DTammy Pawloski grew up in the impoverished areas of rural Horry and Allendale counties of South Carolina, and, after earning an undergraduate degree in early childhood education from USC-Aiken, she returned to the region to teach kindergarten, first, fourth and fifth grades. Pawloski earned the Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1988. She currently holds a dual appointment of Professor of Early Childhood Education and Director of the Center of Excellence to Prepare Teachers of Children of Poverty at Francis Marion University. Prior to joining the faculty of FMU in 2000, she served in a similar capacity on the Columbia, Aiken, Salkehatchie, and Beaufort campuses of USC, and at Ventura College and Pepperdine University in Southern California. In addition to her work with under-resourced students, Dr. Pawloski’s research interests include family, school, and community partnerships and best practices in early childhood education. Erica Pernell Erica Pernell is the Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA. Her work at Nobles is informed both by her own experiences in classrooms as a teacher and student and the time she spent as the Director of the UMass-Boston Upward Bound program, supporting first-generation college bound students from Boston in their efforts to attend university. Erica facilitates and presents at conferences hosted by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, the National Association of Independent Schools, and the Enrollment Management Association and works with schools and organizations to provide training and consulting. She grew up in Plainville, CT and attended UConn, where she played softball while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemistry and Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on multicultural education and critical pedagogy. She lives in a cabin and loves to cook with her


partner and their 13-year-old son.

Ginni SackettGinni Sackett is currently the Director of Pedagogy at AMI. She is an AMI Trainer at the 3-6 level, as well as an AMI Lecturer, Consultant, and Examiner, with over thirty-five years of experience in Montessori education.

After 12 years as a 3-6 classroom teacher, Ginni joined the staff of the Montessori Institute Northwest in Portland, Oregon USA as Course Assistant in 1994. She later joined the AMI Training of Trainers Program and achieved the status of AMI trainer in 2002. She was a Director of 3-6 Training at Montessori Northwest until 2017. In January 2018, she joined the staff of the Association Montessori Internationale in Amsterdam as Director of Pedagogy. Ginni frequently presents on a variety of topics at regional, national, and international workshops and conferences and has presented two previous Primary Refresher Courses. Her articles have been published in AMI Communications and the NAMTA Journal, and she is the author of two pamphlets published by AMI/USA.

Rebecca SantanderRebecca Santander holds many titles in her life: she’s a bilingual educator, a human rights activist, a mother, a strategist, an artist at heart, designer and an avid learner. Rebecca Santander is currently a partner at the Wildflower Foundation where she she is cultivating the conditions for Montessori guides to open small, community embedded schools. Prior to joining WIldflower, Rebecca was a Spanish Bilingual educator serving first generation immigrant families in San Francisco and then spent time with Teach for America, a non-profit committed to educational equity as the national Managing Director of Teaching as Leadership. In this role she was responsible for the evolution and implementation of core classroom leadership frameworks and aligned strategic initiatives. She studied Human Rights and Hispanic Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, CT and at the law school of Universidad de Chile in Santiago. Rebecca lives in Asheville North Carolina with her family.

Sharlyn SmithAMI Assistants to Infancy Director of Training Sharlyn Smith, an international trainer, presenter and AMI examiner, lives in Juneau Alaska with her long term partner, Erben, daughter Rachel and dog, Piper. She holds AMI diplomas at both the 0-3 and 3-6 levels and has more than 25 years of classroom experience as well as experience as Head of School. She has co-directed Diploma Coures in Beijing China, Taipei Taiwan, Ebina Japan, Dortmund Germany and is the 0-3 Director of Training at MTCSTL in St. Louis. She earned B.A. degrees in Japanese Language and Literature and International Affairs from the University of Colorado and holds a M.Ed. in Montessori Education from Loyola University.

Carrie Talcott Carrie Talcott has been in Montessori education for over twenty years. She taught for five years in Upper-Elementary and has been at Compass Montessori High School for over fifteen years where she serves as the pedagogical lead as well as a guide for history and economics. Carrie has degrees in History, Sociology and Social Sciences in addition to completing Upper- Elementary training, the NAMTA Adolescent Orientation and holds a Colorado State Certification in secondary social sciences. In 2016 she was awarded the Colorado Charter School Teacher of the year.

Elaine Taylor-KlausElaine Taylor-Klaus, PCC, CPCC -- certified coach, author, co-Founder of ImpactADHD®, and co-creator of Sanity School®. A sought after speaker for parents and educators, Elaine provides training, coaching and support for parents and teachers of “complex” kids -- around the globe, online and on the phone. A lifelong advocate for public health, Elaine has served on Georgia’s Governor’s Council for Maternal and Infant Health and as a parent advisor for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Regularly featured in ADDitude and Attention magazines, she is the co-author of Parenting ADHD Now! Easy Intervention Strategies to Empower Kids with ADHD, and the mother of 3 young adults in an ADHD Family of 5. Find a wealth of resources on her award-winning blog at ImpactADHD.com.

Megan TreziseMegan Trezise is an AMI Auxiliary Trainer at the Primary level. She currently works with the Southwest Institute of Montessori Studies and Great Work, Inc. Megan began her Montessori career as a classroom assistant while she earned an AMI Diploma at the Montessori Education Center of Arizona in Phoenix in 2005. She then spent many years teaching in both private and public Montessori schools. It was with the transition to teaching in the public sector that she truly began to find her mission. In working with second language learners, immigrant children, and those living in poverty, she discovered the power of Montessori. While still in the public sector, she moved into Montessori Instructional Coaching, leading a team of nine Primary Guides, offering professional development and pedagogical guidance. This opportunity paralleled an opportunity to work on a Montessori Response to Intervention team serving as the data specialist with the goal of helping special needs children succeed both behaviorally and academically. In addition to being a Montessorian, Megan has been married for 10 years and has a nine year old daughter. Her family lives in the Phoenix Metro area and enjoys volunteering with animal rescues, hiking at the river, and exploring the Arizona wilderness.


Registration Information

OptionsKEYNOTE Open to all. An AMI diploma is not required.

REFRESHER COURSE*(A to I, Primary, Elementary) An AMI diploma is required at the level attending.

ADOLESCENT COURSE* Open to adolescent educators and those who are interested in adolescent work. An AMI diploma is not required.

ADMINISTRATIVE COURSE Open to all administrative staff and school board members. An AMI diploma is not required.

ASSISTANTS COURSE Open to classroom assistants at the A to I, primary, and elementary, levels, as well as support staff and AMI teacher trainees. An AMI diploma is not required.

MONTESSORI FOR EVERYONE Open to all. An AMI diploma is not required.

FRIDAY & MONDAY WORKSHOPS Open to all. An AMI diploma is not required.

*AMI, NAMTA, and/or EAA memberships must be valid through February 18, 2019.

Registration DeadlinesFriday, December 14, 2018Early Bird Deadline

Registrations must be postmarked (or time stamped for online registrations) by December 14 to receive the early bird rate.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019Regular Deadline

All advance registrations must be postmarked by January 15th. After this date, registration will only be accepted on-site.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019Meal Changes/Registration Transfer Deadline

A higher fee will apply for walk-in registrations.

Registration TimesFriday, February 168:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, February 177:30 – 9:00 a.m.

To avoid delays, walk-in registration closes 30 minutes before the keynote on Friday evening.


POLICIES Cancellation/Refund PoliciesRequests made in writing (email is acceptable) and received by January 15, 2019 will be refunded 75% of the registration fee paid, excluding non-refundable deposits. Requests made between January 15 and February 5, 2019 will be refunded 50% of the registration fee paid, excluding non-refundable deposits. There will be no refunds issued for requests made after February 5, 2019.

Registration Transfer PolicyRegistration may be transferred from one staff member to another within the same school by contacting the AMI/USA office prior to Tuesday, January 15, 2019.

Meal PreferenceChanges to meal preference are permitted until Tuesday, January 15, 2019.

CertificatesCertificates will be available by request at amiusa.org following the conclusion of the Refresher Course & Workshops. Refresher Course attendees must attend the full day on both Saturday and Sunday to receive a certificate (sign-in required).

College CreditCollege credit from Eastern Washington University is available for Refresher Course participants (A to I, Primary, Elementary). To receive your credit, you must pay $56, attend all sessions (sign-in required), and complete a registration form, course evaluation, and write a short paper. For more information, please contact Anna Discenzo at [email protected].

Continuing Education CreditsContinuing Education Credits (CEUs) are available through Loyola University Maryland’s Center for Montessori Education. To receive CEUs, you must pay a $25 fee, and attend all sessions (sign-in required).

MembershipsAMI, EAA, and NAMTA memberships must be current through Monday, February 18, 2019.

Note: If your membership needs to be renewed in order to attend the Refresher Course, or to receive the member rate for the Administrative or Assistants Workshops, and you do not indicate this on your regstration form, your card will be automatically charged for the renewal the week of January 15, 2019. On-Site RegistrationFees for on-site registration will be accepted by credit card or check only.

Special Accommodation RequestRequests regarding ADA needs must be made one month in advance. Please contact Sarah Kozicki, [email protected], with details of your needs.

Photo UseYour photo may be taken during the 2019 Refresher Course and may be posted online or in printed material. Attendance at the Refresher Course is consent for photo release.

*Video recording of sessions is NOT permitted.*Not all vendors are AMI-approved manufacturers.

Registration Information

mailto:publications%40ami-eaa.org?subject=Refresher%20Course%20Credit

mailto:sarah%40amiusa.org?subject=ADA%20for%20Refresher%20Course


Open Meeting with the AMI/USA BoardSaturday, February 16, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.Meet AMI/USA board members, discuss current board activities and initiatives, and ask questions.

Swing Dance SocialSaturday, February 16, 8:30 - 10:30 p.m.AMI/USA and Transparent Classroom present a night of socializing and swing dancing.

Meet and Greet/Networking OpportunitySunday, February 17, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.Visit with school heads to find job opportunities available now and for next year. Contact [email protected] to request a table.

Presentations on Montessori Adolescent Exemplary and/or Transformative Projects or Practices Saturday and Sunday, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Scholarships AvailableAMI/USA is thrilled to announce that up to twelve scholarships are available for teachers and administrators to attend the 2019 Refresher Course. Visit https://amiusa.org/2019-refresher-course/ for more information.

Announcements

mailto:denise%40amiusa.org?subject=Meet%20%26%20Greet%20Table


Registration Form

Member Rates Non-Member Rates

Refresher CourseSelect only one level:

A to I Primary Elementary

Early Bird (by 12/14/18) $460 ____(a)

Regular (by 1/15/19) $495 ____(b)

On-site $550 ____(c)

AMI Trainer/Consultant $220 ____(d)

Diploma Information: Training Center: ________________________________Diploma Number: ______________________________Year of Graduation: _____________________________

*Diploma information must match age level attending*

Administrative AdministrativeSelect one:

Full Workshop Saturday Only Sunday Only

Early Bird (by 12/14/18) $460 ____(j)

Regular (by 1/15/19) $495 ____(k)

On-site $550 ____(l)

Single Day Early Bird $330 ____(m)

Single Day Regular $385 ____(n)

Single Day Walk-in $415 ____(o)

Request a table at the School Meet & Greet

Agree to share email with other administrative attendees

Select one:

Full Workshop Saturday Only Sunday Only

Early Bird (by 12/14/18) $550 ____(p)

Regular (by 1/15/19) $585 ____(q)

On-site $640 ____(r)

Single Day Early Bird $420 ____(s)

Single Day Regular $475 ____(t)

Single Day Walk-in $505 ____(u)

Request a table at the School Meet & Greet

Agree to share email with other administrative attendees

Assistants AssistantsEarly Bird (by 12/14/18) $460 ____(v)

Regular (by 1/15/19) $495 ____(w)

On-site $550 ____(x)

Trainee $330 ____(y)

Early Bird (by 12/14/18) $550 ____(z)

Regular (by 1/15/19) $585 ____(aa)

On-site $640 ____(ab)

Trainee $420 ____(ac)

Refresher Course, Adolescent, Administrative, and Assistants registration includes: • Opening keynote address (Friday evening) • Swing Dance Social (Saturday evening)• Lunch on Saturday and Sunday (excluding single day Administrative)• One Monday workshop

Montessori for Everyone registration includes:• Lunch on Saturday• One Monday workshop

Friday and Monday workshops don’t include lunch.Balances will be automatically charged starting the week of January 15, 2019.

Adolescent

Early Bird (by 12/14/18) $460 ____(e)

Regular (by 1/15/19) $495 ____(f)

On-site $550 ____(g)

AMI Trainer/Consultant $220 ____(h)

Trainee $330 ____(i)

Saturday Breakout Selection:

A B C D

Sunday Breakout Selection:

A B C D

Name: ___________________________________

Address: _________________________________

_________________________________________

School/Training Center: ______________________

Email: ____________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________

Lunch Preference:

Standard Vegetarian


Registration Form

Friday WorkshopsAdvocacy Workshop (A.M.) $50 ____(af)

Higher Ed Exchange (A.M.) $100 ____(ag)

Diversity Forum (P.M.) $125 ____(ah)

Monday WorkshopsSelect only one:

Education for Liberation

Families and Community

Educateurs sans Frontières

Parent Communications

Add-onsOpening Keynote Address $30 ____(ai)

Swing Dance Social $30 ____(aj)

Keynote + Social $50 ____(ak)

Lunch (one day) $50 ____(al)

Saturday Sunday

Lunch (two days) $100 ____(am)

Continuing Education CreditsDo you need CEUs? $25 ____(an)

*For Sat/Sun participants only. Sign-in required.

MembershipAMI (U.S. Residents) $75 ____(ao)

AMI (Non-U.S. Residents) $95 ____(ap)

NAMTA (U.S. Residents) $75 ____(aq)

NAMTA (Non-U.S. Residents) $95 ____(ar)

EAA (U.S. Residents) $50 ____(as)

EAA (Non-U.S. Residents) $55 ____(at)

Payment I have enclosed a check or money order

Charge the amount indicated to my credit card

AMI school discount (3 or more staff) - or - -$25 (au)

Volume Discount (5 or more staff) -$20 (av)

Total lines (a) through (at) minus (au) or (av) ____

Full Payment $100 non-refundable deposit

Card Number: __________________________________

Exp. __________________________________________

Signature: ______________________________________

Discounts

AMI School Discount: AMI recognized schools sending three or more staff members may deduct $25 from each registration. For Refresher Course,

Adolescent, Administrative and Assistants levels only.

School Volume Discount: Non-AMI schools submitting five or more registrations may deduct $20 from each registration. For Refresher Course,

Adolescent, Administrative and Assistants levels only.

Trainer/Consultant Discount: AMI trainers and consultants may register for any course at a special discounted rate. The AMI school and volume discounts

cannot be deducted from the trainer/consultant rate.

Trainee Discount: People currently enrolled in an AMI training course may register for the Assistants’ Workshop at a special discounted rate. Please

include the name of your training center on your registration form. The AMI school and volume discounts cannot be deducted

from the trainee rate.

**Only one discount may be applied per registration**

Send your registration to:

AMI/USA206 N. Washington St., Ste. 330

Alexandria, VA 22314

Or register online at https://amiusa.org/2019-refresher-course/

If you have questions, please contact [email protected].

Montessori for EveryoneFull workshop (Saturday) $300 ____(ad)

Half day workshop $175 ____(ae)

Morning Afternoon

mailto:montessori%40amiusa.org?subject=


Adolescent Breakouts

SATURDAYA. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Montessori Adolescent Classroom—Rae Jones and Erica Pernell Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential elements in a functioning and empowering Montessori adolescent environment, as well as proven essential components of excellent educational communities. Adolescents are learning to be social beings in our world and this includes learning how to interact with people who are different than themselves in many ways. Additionally, teachers need to competently and completely confront issues of inequality, oppression, and power, as our students are living these experiences everyday. In order to achieve the Montessori goal of peace through education, our classrooms need to address equity and inclusion in all areas of our work - the prepared environment, class offerings, class design, assignments.

Driven by inspiration from the work of Montessori for Social Justice, this introductory workshop will both provide tools for teachers to create environments dedicated to dismantling oppression and white supremacy, and establish the space for adolescent practitioners to explore their own role in changing our world. We will work through definitions, explore developmentally appropriate approaches for adolescents, and draw on our combined knowledge and experience to create action plans. This interactive session provides frameworks, theory, and opportunities to explore practical applications to shift classroom practice towards dismantling systems of oppression, amplifying voices of oppressed peoples, and working together towards universal liberation. Our presentation will specifically highlight the opportunities that Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School provides for students to access their own power and agency. Lastly, we will create a space to identify action steps to create a more inclusive and equitable space for Montessori Adolescent guides.

B. Construct (do-able, meaningful microeconomy projects)—Eldon Kohler Within the busyness of a school day, it easy to lose sight of a powerful resource that we all have: the creation of something from nothing through our hands. Students thrive when they are able to engage in useful work, especially when through their work they are exposed to the larger picture of the microeconomy and its connection to society.Learn how students can easily adapt and use simple or more complex hand tools to produce unique handmade goods. Props and demonstrations will help to share many of the successful designs that students can engage in daily for microeconomy production. Together we will explore wood working ideas, silver jewelry design, candles, soaps, etc. Through the work of the hands we can guide students to create new products from scratch using resources from the land.

C. Experience Culture (by doing, creating, producing throughout our Humanities Projects)—Susan HolmesTo understand culture, our own or that of others, we try to experience how people meet their fundamental human needs--such as food, clothing, shelter, and art—in different ways and in different circumstances. To celebrate the variety of human cultural expression while distilling commonalities, it helps to experience what we can of those cultural expressions. In this workshop we will ask: How many ways can we “walk in their shoes”? Susan Holmes-Glazier will share the ways she has pushed the boundaries of this by experiencing rituals, learning and performing songs and dances, studying and creating artwork and poetry, weaving fabric, recreating styles of clothing, visiting important local cultural and religious locations, and literally trying to reinvent the wheel and other technological advancements. Experiencing culture by doing, creating, and producing engages and helps students develop an appreciation for cultural diversity and empathy toward all human beings.

D. Integrating the Work of the Older Adolescent (High School Roundtable)—Carrie TalcottThe high school roundtable is a collaborative forum designed for the practitioners of upper adolescents. The goal of the roundtable is for Montessori high school guides, from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience, to engage in meaningful dialog in order to continue to develop and refine systems, curricula and practices consistent with Montessori pedagogy and geared towards the specific developmental needs of high school student. The focus of this years roundtable will be meaningful integration of curricula within academic disciplines as well as connections to real world experiences.

APPENDIX


Adolescent Breakouts

SUNDAYA. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Montessori Adolescent Classroom—Rae Jones and Erica Pernell Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential elements in a functioning and empowering Montessori adolescent environment, as well as proven essential components of excellent educational communities. Adolescents are learning to be social beings in our world and this includes learning how to interact with people who are different than themselves in many ways. Additionally, teachers need to competently and completely confront issues of inequality, oppression, and power, as our students are living these experiences everyday. In order to achieve the Montessori goal of peace through education, our classrooms need to address equity and inclusion in all areas of our work - the prepared environment, class offerings, class design, assignments.

Driven by inspiration from the work of Montessori for Social Justice, this introductory workshop will both provide tools for teachers to create environments dedicated to dismantling oppression and white supremacy, and establish the space for adolescent practitioners to explore their own role in changing our world. We will work through definitions, explore developmentally appropriate approaches for adolescents, and draw on our combined knowledge and experience to create action plans. This interactive session provides frameworks, theory, and opportunities to explore practical applications to shift classroom practice towards dismantling systems of oppression, amplifying voices of oppressed peoples, and working together towards universal liberation. Our presentation will specifically highlight the opportunities that Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School provides for students to access their own power and agency. Lastly, we will create a space to identify action steps to create a more inclusive and equitable space for Montessori Adolescent guides.

B. Connecting to the Greater Community: Production and Exchange (Creating meaningful, marketable items and markets for production and exchange)—Eldon Kohler A deep and powerful resource that we have within our Montessori communities is the microeconomy. It can reach out into a classroom, the land, or neighboring communities. The operation and organization of a microeconomy is not always easy to convey, but it is a wheel that turns easily, once started, for both students and adults.

In this workshop, we will discuss the important role that the microeconomy plays, its vigor, and how it can be successful. Topics will highlight choosing the right product, production schedules, and marketing, along with the overall presentation for sales events. In addition to highlighting the study of microeconomy, we will look into how grant monies, entrepreneurship, and now technology is playing a role in both our middle and upper school students.

C. Role of the Adult: Contributor to the Microcosm and Side-by-Side Guide (Pitfalls and tips for success)—Susan HolmesAs adolescent guides we are mentors, models, coaches, leaders, teachers, and more. We have an essential role in shaping the social organization of the community. Working side-by-side with students is a subtle dance requiring us to know when to give a lesson, when to step back and leave room for experimentation, how to provide genuine support and build rapport without crossing the line of becoming a “friend.” How we approach our role as adults has a significant impact on the experiences of students and the tone of the community. We’ll explore the joys and challenges of being adults in adolescent communities.

D. Interdependencies of Communities Made Transparent (How does social organization work?)—Emily DowellThe developmental imperative behind a Montessori adolescent community is that it be a genuine experience of social organization: a “school of experience in the elements of social life.”But what does that mean? The dynamics of a genuine social organization are complex and must reflect true human communities it all their challenges and organic needs—physical and social. In this workshop we will try to “map” how the social organization of several Montessori adolescent communities works: What are the roles of adults? What are the contributions of students? How are both students and adults supported in this complexity? How do parents fit into the community? How do the operations and activities of the community reflect a rich experience of human “civilization”? Why do communities experience conflict and turmoil? The better we “make transparent the interdependency” of our community dynamics, the more thoughtful and sustainable our work in them can be.

the child’s place in time - montessori-ami.org · 2019 ami/usa refresher course & workshops...

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